1) Wilshere, Walcott and Henderson all shine

Roy Hodgson would have enjoyed his trip to the Emirates. We might be generally unaware of it, what with TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY!, but England have a game coming up next Wednesday against Brazil and Hodgson had reason to depart north London with a smile, and not only because he witnessed the adrenaline-fuelled mayhem of Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Liverpool. The England manager saw Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott star for Arsenal, the latter scoring his 18th goal of the season and the fourth in four matches since he signed his new contract. "You see Theo is a man now, he takes responsibility," Arsène Wenger said. In Liverpool colours, meanwhile, Jordan Henderson pressed his claim for an England recall. He has turned a corner at his club. David Hytner

2) Baines keeps Everton on course

Whether Leighton Baines or Ashley Cole is the best left-back in the Premier League is a debate for the pub, though David Moyes was in no doubt after Wednesday night's performance against West Bromwich Albion that the Everton defender ranks among the best in Europe. All that does matter, to Everton at least, is the quality that has helped drag them through a delicate stage of the season still on the coat-tails of the top four. Moyes's squad has been stretched at times but, with Kevin Mirallas and Darron Gibson back in the frame against Albion, Baines has taken the responsibility that comes with being a senior figure at Goodison Park. Andy Hunter

3) Fatigue taking its toll on Chelsea already

These teams appear to be moving in opposite directions. Where Reading are injecting their customary post-Christmas momentum aimed at securing survival, Chelsea look like a team staggering towards the finish line, albeit with four months of the campaign still to come. Fatigue from a cluttered fixture programme is taking its toll. This was game 41, and game 20 for the interim first-team manager in little more than two months. They look drained mentally as well as physically at times. How else can one explain the late capitulation that transformed such a comfortable victory into a deeply unsatisfying draw? Throw in an ankle knock for Juan Mata, the Londoners' best and most consistent performer, and this was another disturbing night for Rafael Benítez. That notion would have felt ludicrous three minutes from full-time. Reading's only regret was that their comeback came so late they did not have sufficient time to pluck a winner. Dominic Fifield

4) Spurs grateful for Bale transformation

Gareth Bale is world class in much the same way that Steven Gerrard was world class. He does not control games but he sure can transform them. Few players anywhere possess the ability to score from nothing as spectacularly as Bale did at Carrow Road on Wednesday night, illuminating an otherwise drab performance by him and his team. It is true that he could still develop more consistency but it is also true that his team-mates could do more to take advantage of the space given to them when opponents double up on Bale. Or maybe they couldn't: perhaps Bale will only become prolifically brilliant if he is surrounded by other brilliant players. He will surely leave Tottenham sooner rather than later, but in the interim the club would be doing themselves and Bale a favour if they at least bought a top new striker. Paul Doyle

5) Pochettino message coming across well

On Wednesday evening David Platt was at Old Trafford to scout Southampton, who are Manchester City's opponents on Sunday-week. What the assistant manager saw from Mauricio Pochettino's side was a second-half display of high-up-the-field pressing and quick passing that pinned Manchester United back as if they, not Saints, were the away team hovering three points above the drop zone. The Argentinian is only two games into his tenure as Nigel Adkins's successor, yet already the Pochettino message of how he wants to play is being received: not bad for a man who has to communicate through a translator. Jamie Jackson

6) Signs of hope for QPR

Queens Park Rangers are edging, slowly but surely, into survival contention. Harry Redknapp has made his first-team more robust than they were, with the selection which held Manchester City unrecognisable from the defensive mishmash embarrassed by MK Dons at the weekend. They have drawn their past three league games, all awkward occasions, on the back of that win at Chelsea. The manager's next trick must be to conjure up some wins, starting at home to Norwich on Saturday. The additions to come on deadline day will add to his options, even if the club's Harlington training ground will be cluttered with bodies, and Christopher Samba could be an inspired – if lavish – purchase. Recently QPR's position felt helpless, but now they are only four points from escaping the relegation zone and hopeful. Dominic Fifield

7) Graham faces hot return

Parochialism can never be underestimated. Martin O'Neill has spent much of this transfer window attempting to prise the striker Danny Graham away from Swansea. On Tuesday night Graham came off Michael Laudrup's bench as a substitute during the 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light – to be greeted by boos, catcalls and shouts of "You'll always be scum". Why? Well the Gateshead-born former Middlesbrough forward is a Newcastle United fan who once, unwisely, told a fanzine he would rather play for Gateshead than Sunderland. Now Graham fancies a return to the north-east and has indicated he would prefer to join O'Neill's squad rather than sign for Norwich. But will Tuesday night's reception have changed his mind? Coincidentally, but for a fabulous stoppage-time block from Titus Bramble, Graham would surely have won Tuesday's game for Swansea. Louise Taylor

8) Espinoza's debut to remember

Roger Espinoza made an extraordinary Premier League debut at Stoke. It wasn't just that he had a hand in all four goals, one way or another, and also picked up a booking, it was that after no more than an hour the Wigan players were seeking him out with the ball. Espinoza always seemed to want possession, found space brilliantly, and almost always used the ball well. Roberto Martínez claimed to have discovered him at the 2010 World Cup, playing for Honduras in direct competition to Jean Beausejour of Chile. He now has them both at Wigan, and Espinoza seems capable of having even more of an impact on the business end of the season than Beausejour did this time last year. If Kansas City contains many more players of such quality available on free transfers, talent scouts will soon be relocating from Spain and France. Paul Wilson

9) Villa need numbers in midfield, not defence

The time has come for Paul Lambert to scrap the idea of playing with three centre-backs – as part of what is effectively a five-man defence – and instead look at deploying extra bodies in midfield where Aston Villa are so often overrun. With five at the back in the first half against Newcastle, Villa were unable to gain a foothold in the central areas, which invited pressure from Alan Pardew's side and also meant that Christian Benteke and Darren Bent were bereft of service. In the second half, when Lambert reverted to a flat back four, Villa were much more compact, had more options higher up the pitch and looked a completely different proposition. By then, though, the damage had already been done. Stuart James

10) Pulis transfer record remains patchy

There were boos when Tony Pulis replaced Steven Nzonzi in the second half against Wigan, plus a gesture of irritation from the player himself, and more audible dissatisfaction from home supporters on the final whistle. A point against a lively Wigan side was not too bad; Pulis has yet to finish on the winning side since Martínez's arrival at the DW, but Stoke fans sense the usual January slump and are also nervous about the deals that may be done before the transfer window closes. Generally speaking, Pulis is still in credit for having established Stoke as reliable mid-table performers, but his record in the transfer market is patchy, to say the least. Stoke supporters have not been particularly impressed with Wilson Palacios, Charlie Adam and others, and Michael Owen never gets a game – whereas they like Nzonzi. They also like Peter Crouch, and do not wish to see him depart in exchange for whoever Harry Redknapp considers disposable at QPR. Paul Wilson